ENG-1996 — Page 154

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

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This message was taken overseas by an ambitious programme which started in May 1996 highlighting Hong Kong's service strengths and confidence in future as Asia's business hub far into the next century. Business seminars and roadshows visited places including South-East Asia, the USA, Australia, Europe and Japan.

The second major initiative concerned the construction of the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre extension. Good progress was made on the $4.8 billion reclamation and extension project, which began in 1994 and is on schedule for completion in mid-1997. Apart from being a new architectural landmark for Hong Kong, the extension will more than double the Centre's exhibition and convention capacity, strengthening Hong Kong's lead as the trade fair capital of Asia.

On the promotional front, the TDC was again very active in helping Hong Kong companies to penetrate world markets. In 1995-96, the council organised more than 300 promotional events world-wide, providing cost-effective channels for local manufacturers and traders to reach international buyers. These events attracted participation from a record 12 000 Hong Kong companies, generating business worth more than $35 billion. Of the 16 international trade fairs and exhibitions organised by TDC in Hong Kong, five are the largest in Asia. These fairs attracted 7 000 exhibitors and more than 1.1 million visitors, including some 63 000 overseas buyers.

Two-thirds of the council's promotional events in 1995-96 were in new markets, where the focus was on introducing Hong Kong products, building sourcing relationships and creating awareness of Hong Kong's advantages as a trading partner to these markets, including mainland China, South-East Asia, India, the Middle East, South Africa, Russia, Eastern Europe and Central and South America. The newly established TDC offices in these markets served manufacturers and traders by providing much needed local market knowledge and business contacts.

In the established markets of North America and Europe, TDC helped Hong Kong companies to meet the challenges of increasing competition by fostering a more favourable trading environment through expanding and upgrading their presence at established fairs, organising business seminars and developing more high-level business contacts.

To ensure the TDC's trade and information services match Hong Kong's position as Asia's business hub, the council constantly upgrades its information resources and services, making it easier for traders to access its services. Recently introduced facilities included an Electronic Data Centre in the TDC Business Library and the use of cutting-edge computer technology to equip the TDC Fashion and Design Library. A TDC page was also available on the World Wide Web providing 35 million users of the Internet around the globe with easy access to handy information on Hong Kong's economy and the TDC's services.

The council's Trade Enquiry Service matches thousands of companies across the world with Hong Kong buyers and suppliers. The service is particularly useful to Hong Kong's small- and medium-sized enterprises which lack the resources to build their own networks of overseas buyers. In 1995–96, 429 000 enquiries were handled, representing an increase of 21 per cent over the previous year. This computerised service helped users find the right supplier, buyer or agent among 73 000 Hong Kong companies, 346 000 overseas traders and 158 000 mainland firms listed in the TDC's databank.